How to Flintknapp - Just the Basics
One skill that was essential to many Stone Age people was knowing how to flintknapp.
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One interesting thing about studying the American frontier, is that it gives us a look into the lives of people as they were just emerging from the Stone Age. Although even Lewis and Clark met people who had been influenced by Europeans (they got horses from the Shoshone), many people living west of the frontier still had working knowledge of how to live without manufactured goods. Perhaps one of the more important skills to master for a Stone Age person, was the ability to shape stone into useful tools. That skill is called flintknapping, and knowing how to flintknapp was common across many cultures around the world at different points in history.
Flintknapping is much more of an art, than a science. It is also a skill that has seen a resurgence in the past few decades. Youtube is one place that is a great vault of information for somebody wanting to learn about the ancient art. One Youtuber, Paleomanjim, has put out a series of videos describing the basics. He also offers solid insights on the lives of Stone Age people, and brings up interesting points to consider. If you are interested, you might find his video below worth the watch.
If you are following along in Jemmey Fletcher’s Ride to Rendezvous, the video might help you better understand the people Jemmey was beginning to encounter as he traveled further west.
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